Globalization and consumerism are two of the buzzwords of the early twenty-first century. This book explores the links between modernity and consumption. It draws on case studies from around the world, with Africa, Asia and Central America. It presents accounts of globalization and consumerism.

1. The Modern Evolution of the Consumer: Meanings, Knowledge, and Identities Before the Age of Affluence Frank Trentmann, Birkbeck College 2. Brand Management and the Productivity of Consumption Adam Arvidsson, University of Copenhagen 3. On the Movement of Porcelains: Rethinking the Birth of the Consumer Society as Interactions of Exchange Networks, China and Britain, 1600-1750 Robert Batchelor, Georgia Southern University 4. Consumer Culture and Extractive Industry on the Margins of the World System Richard Wilk, Indiana University 5. 'Flowers of Paradise' or 'Polluting of the Nation'? Contested Narratives of Khat Consumption David Anderson and Neil Carrier, Oxford University 6. Chewing Gum: American Taste and the 'Shadowlands' of the Yukatan Michael Redclift, Kings College London 7. Japan's Post-war 'Consumer Revolution,' or Striking a 'Balance' between Consumption and Saving Sheldon Garon, Princeton University 8. Trust, Food and Contestation: From the Buying Nothing Day to Fair Trade Goods Roberta Sassatelli, University of East Anglia and University of Bologna 9. Renegotiating the Social Contract in Post-War Europe: The American Marshall Plan and Consumer Democracy Sheryl Kroen, University of Florida 10. Emerging Global Water Welfarism: Access to Water, Unruly Consumers and Transnational Governance Bronwen Morgan, University of Bristol

The Cultures of Consumption Series explores the changing nature of consumption in a global context. The series investigates the different forms, development and consequences of consumption, past and present. Topics covered include consumption in the domestic sphere, the ethical consumer, alternative and sustainable forms of consumption, citizenship and consumption, and the shifting local, metropolitan and transnational boundaries of cultures of consumption.